The hike organized by the Langlade County Ice Age

FOR ANTIGO TIMES

Trail Chapter is open to the public.  Interested persons and groups should meet at 10 a. m. at the Jack Lake Cross Country Ski parking area on County Highway J.

Participants are encouraged to wear suitable clothing and bring a lunch or snack. Hikers can individually hike the Ice Age Trail with dogs on leash but the chapter requests that no one bring their pets, leashed or otherwise, on the group outing.

Besides getting out to really enjoy the fall colors, another feature of the October outing will be an opportunity for participants to earn a special hiker patch observing the chapter’s 50 years of Ice Age Trail activity in Langlade County.  To earn the patch, persons must make 2 of the 3 outings offered this year and next spring by the chapter. The remaining chapter hike to earn the patch is tentatively set for Saturday April 29^th 2023. 

The colorful October chapter outing will be a 5 mile hike of the Summit Moraine Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The segment was formerly known as Old Railroad which largely followed the historic rail grade which connected the main line at Koepenick to Pearson and Camp 23 during the logging era.

The segment was rerouted in 2018 using sections of the former trail with construction of new stretches of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail between County Highways A and B. Yet a short stretch of the historic rail grade is still part of the Ice Age Trail at Spychalla Lodge.

The Langlade County Ice Age Trail Chapter is one of twenty-one volunteer organizations affiliated with the Ice Age Trail Alliance at Cross Plains to develop, maintain and promote the national scenic trail. The Ice Age Trail was added to the national system of scenic trails with the passage of federal legislation in 1980.  Currently there are eleven national scenic trails to provide long distance hiking opportunities.

Additional information on the hike, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and volunteer opportunities with the chapter are available by mail to 622 First Avenue, Antigo or calling 715-623-2645.

Online trail information is available at www.iceagetrail.org or the chapter webpage at www.iceagetrail.org/volunteer/chapters/langlade-county/

Another local trail online source is the chapter’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/seeuonthetrail